Happiness Is
by ProDLnEC aka NLcsimiamifanatic
Summary: The Taylors start a new chapter of life in Brooklyn.
1. Chapter 1

_Got inspired watching the finale of CSI New York. The sequel to __**Hope Leads to Happiness again**__ begins!_

_**Happiness Is...**_

_**A Retreat**_

Brooklyn New York was quieter and calmer than Manhattan. The pace of life was never slow in the city but in comparison everything was slightly slower. There was still what Mac and his wife liked about the city, plenty of culture diversity, an extensive variety of restaurants and entertainment. But here the parks were less crowded and people actually got to know the neighbors. And it was actually possible to have a backyard, however small.

With a tree.

The backyard was not big enough to accommodate a swingset but was big enough for a turtle-shaped sandbox that Jesse knew how to play in, thanks to Lucy Messer. But while Lucy did more creative things, Jesse was perfectly content to put sand in a bucket, dump it out and start again, happy with himself every time. Brooklyn did feel more family-friendly. Being out of a high-rise building was refreshing for Mac. Outside of bases when he was in the marine corp it was the only type living arrangements he ever had. The change in his living arrangements felt good.

"I think we're gonna really like it here," Mac said to his wife, giving her shoulders a squeeze as they watched their young son toddle around the yard, enjoying the new freedom.

"Me, too," Hope smiled. "And you know, there's another advantage."

"What's that?"

"We don't need a riding mower."

Mac laughed leaning in to kiss his wife.

"That we don't."

Jesse pointed to the kitchen window.

"Osside?" He said.

The approximate twelve by twelve fenced-in patch of grass with its single maple tree, aka their backyard had been the little boy's favorite place, no matter what the weather since they arrived here. At almost two years old Jesse was probably amazed that grass was just steps outside his house, his mother thought. Jesse was quite verbal for his eighteen months of age. But he still didn't grasp there was going to be a new baby in the house in a few months.

"In a little bit, bud. We have to go to the store first. We have company for dinner tonight. And some boy is getting a haircut today."

The Messers were coming over. Lindsay and Lindsay at least. Hopefully it would be a lucky day and Danny and Mac would make it home on time. As for Jesse's haircut, they would be headed to the family salon. Even if Jesse held still what her boy would look like if she gave him the "mom chop" wasn't something Hope wanted to see. It never took long for little curls to stick out every which way. Her son and husband had this in common. Mac always made he kept his cut short to avoid the same. Unruly curls weren't so adorable on a grown man.

Hope was now twenty weeks pregnant.

As was Lindsay Messer.

The two women's due dates were a mere five days apart.

Hope had been known her baby was a boy for a few weeks. Right now his name was going to be Austin, middle name to be decided. The Messers had wanted to wait to find out the sex of their unborn child since this baby was going to be their last child. However, they had caved and now knew their baby was a boy as well. Danny would've been happy either way but was definitely excited about having a son. Their son was going to be named Dominic Robert.

Robert was after Lindsay's father. Dominic because it was a name Lindsay liked. Since Danny had named Lucy, she got to name this baby.

The lollipop from the hairdresser kept Jesse content while his mom shopped for the dinner ingredients. The guests were bringing dessert. As she had promised when they got home and everything was put away Hope took Jesse outside and let him play in the sandbox. After she put him down for a nap, it was too early to start preparing the chicken breasts glazed with honey and bread crumbs so she settled in on the sofa with her e-reader to read a chapter of the latest Rita Mae Brown novel she had downloaded.

"Did I hear right? Your wife has honey-glazed chicken and garlic mashed potatoes for dinner?" Danny asked walking into his boss's office.

Mac chuckled.

"And did _your_ wife tell you that the password to get through the doorway in chocolate cake?"

"Got that memo. Will do, that damn clock better co-operate," Danny replied.

"Lucy, _slow down_! We're not going to be late," Lindsay said to the little girl practically pulling her along the sidewalk on the short walk to the Taylors. "Daddy and Mac aren't there yet."

Lindsay dare not mention that daddy was bringing cake. Her arm might be pulled out of its socket.

"But mommy, I want to play with Jesse! I haven't seen him in _two_ days!"

Lindsay laughed.

"There's the house! Number 3-7!"

Lindsay let go of Lucy's hand and and she ran up the steps to the Taylors home. Before she could tell her to knock, the little girl burst through the door.

_I guess everyone is looking forward to the dinner party,_ Lindsay thought shaking her head and following the girl.


	2. Milestones and Summer

_**Milestones and Summertime Changes**_

Lucy Messer was looking forward to the summer day camp program her parents had signed her up for. Many of the kids there would be going to kindergarten with her in September.

Kindergarten.

A milestone in the life of a child that some parents, like Danny and Lindsay were dreading.

It was a sign that their little girl was growing up. But five-years-old wasn't nearly grown and Lucy was going to have plenty of years of keeping her parents busy yet. With the coming addition of baby Dominic there was no risk of Lindsay being lonely or bored on her time off.

Other milestones were being reached in the Taylor home. When they had moved in, Jesse's parents set his toddler bed up instead of his crib. The new baby coming aside it was a safety measure. Just before their Rhode Island trip the boy had started climbing out of his crib. Considering the distance, his parents decided it was safer for him to fall from a toddler than top rail of a crib. The crib wasn't set up in what was to be the baby's room because it wasn't painted yet. Jesse's room was still green and jungle-theme. The new baby's nursery was going to be similar, but a different color green with different trees on the walls because there was going to be woodland creatures on the walls.

The worst part of summer, with the rising heat and influx of tourists came a spike in the crime rate. There were days Mac felt his wife was being punished for marrying him. To make up for the long absences he made it a mission to make as many of Hope's doctor appointments as possible, putting ultrasound visits on the top of that list. His in-laws were coming in a week, in perfect time to be there for Hope's twenty-four week ultrasound. His mother-in-law couldn't stop talking about this with her friends in Rhode Island.

"That might convince you guys to stay," the neighbor told her. "Imagine how wonderful it would be to be close to your grandsons."

Alicia explained living with her daughter and her family wasn't an option. Not just for reasons of space but because she believed the family deserved their privacy.

"The neighborhood they in now in Brooklyn, seems better for children. But I'll see when we get there. But I can tell you now, th city is too congested for us. I could never hang my hat there."

By now the Conways knew the only grandchildren they would be getting were from Hope. So they were going to enjoy them. All their older children decided not to start families, something the couple had predicted years ago. Their sons were careful to a fault getting vasectomies at the earliest ages, neither wanting to be weekend dads or dads at all preferably.

And then there was their oldest daughter, Bella.

She professed she didn't believe in "artificial" birth control of any kind, including condoms. Miraculously, she hadn't contracted any STDs.

Yet.

As a result, she had multiple abortions since the age of twenty. Her parents wanted to keep that hush-hush, even from their other children. Neighbors and friends may have been none the wiser but when their parents thought they were oblivious, Blake, Hunter and Hope were anything but. They knew about every single abortion and that most of the time Bella wasn't sure of the father, or flat-out didn't know. The three agreed that a) no child deserved their sister as a mom and b) Bella would never be selfless enough to go through the pregnancy and then place the child for adoption.

With these two confirmations, they all believed the abortions were the best thing.

Feeling the unborn son kick in his wife's abdomen put a smile on Mac's face after a gruelling sixteen hours of not seeing them.

"That's always amazing," he said kissing Hope passionately.

"I know," she said, kissing him back. "I can't wait to see him on Friday."

"Me, neither."

Nathan wasn't comfortable being in the room for his daughter's ultrasound, she figured it was because her bare belly would be on display. Jesse was at the last ultrasound and wasn't interested. His parents understood that he might be too young to understand the experience. He and poppy would hang out at home and wait to see a printout.

"I still can't believe your mom asked me was I going to try and make the appointment," Mac said. "She should know me by now."

"She should," Hope chuckled.

"I'm glad they're coming. You'll get some help with Jesse in this heat."

Early that morning Hope had received a call from the hospital. She was assured that there was no need for panic. Her ultrasound had been reviewed and her baby was fine. However, the technician who had done the exam at sixteen weeks when they found out the sex was erring much in that arena lately. The doctor wanted to notify Hope she "just might" be having a girl. On Friday they could check again if that was what she wanted.

She and Mac both did.


	3. Happiness is Surprise

_**Surprise!**_

_Note: The description of Kim Kardashian is solely my opinion. Don't get me started on her and her family._

The couple decided to let the technician take a "second look" since the other ultrasound was so early.

Hope was scared about the prospect of having a girl.

What if she couldn't identify with her daughter as she grew from a baby? What was she going to do when her daughter wanted to play dress-up or with Barbie dolls.

Or do something like _ballet_?

Even the sound of that word made Hope shutter.

Hope was a total tomboy till she was eleven.

She played sports and got dirty. She loathed everything girly. She liked wearing her brothers' hand-me-downs. She seldom wore anything that wasn't gender-neutral. The most feminine color she wore was purple. Her favorite since she could talk. Mac told his wife contrary to whatever she had been told having done these "girly" things in childhood were not needed to bond with a daughter. Alicia backed him up.

"Good god, honey!" She told Hope. "Whatever made you think those frivolous things were vital to a daughter's life? You know I was opposite of you and we got along just fine, didn't we?"

Her mother was right. She was worrying over nothing.

Alicia nagged her husband Nathan so much about not wanting to be there for a ultrasound that Hope had to tell her to be quiet. Sure Hope wasn't going to be anywhere near naked but if her father wasn't comfortable being there so be it.

They needed a babysitter, anyway.

* * *

Mac met the two at the clinic. Both he and Hope laughed at how antsy Alicia was.

When they were called in her excitement made the nurse laugh.

But Alicia's happy tears flowed when she heard the baby's heartbeat.

After the general view of the baby it was for the big moment.

The technician zeroed in to specific area on the screen.

"So mom, dad? You guys have seen an accurate "boy" image at this stage, right?"

"Yes," both replied smiling, half laughing.

"Did it look like this?" he said, turning the monitor.

Hope and Mac looked at each other.

"No," they said.

"Congratulations. It's a girl," came the reply.

All Mac ever wanted was a family.

To have a daughter joining their son was an incredible feeling for Mac. Hope knew from the way he kissed her.

And the fact he cried the same way he had with Jesse.

"Well, you missed seeing we're going to have a grand_daughter_!" Alicia said, playfully smacking her husband in the back of the head. "I have a still picture for you but you missed something _amazing._"

They were back at home and Mac had gone out to bring back lunch for the group. Stella had offered to fill in for him the remainder of the day. The family talked and laughed about how "it was back to the drawing board" for a name for the baby. Luckily they hadn't started shopping for baby clothes and the nursery was already going to be neutral. There was no way Hope was to change the color, even to her favorite color purple. Pink was only cute in clothes for the first year or so. After that Hope would pick any other color of wardrobe for the baby. But not go as far as the ever-vain and famous-without-talent Kim Kardashian who only dressed her daughter in black, creme and white. Minimal pink design on clothes would be fine, Hope didn't hate it _that_ much. There was plenty of time to pick names. Mom and dad had a few in mind but nothing they were sure of . Olivia, Avery and Katelyn were on the list.

"I'm already having visions of stacks of pink clothing at the baby shower. Good thing it'll be 0-18 months, or I doubt I'll be able to hide my disgust," Hope told Mac.

The couple relaxed together in the living room. Her mother and father was watching TV in the guestroom.

Mac laughed. He knew his wife was happy about the news they were having a daughter. Her aversion was to the color and frills that most people associated with it. Hence the fact she was adamant that she wouldn't be getting their daughter any pink clothes after age two unless it was a gift or she—meaning their daughter—picked it out herself.

"I assume you told Stella no pink invitations and associated decor?" Mac chuckled.

"No. Make sure she gets that memo, please," Hope smiled.


	4. Happiness isToo Many

_**Too Many Y's, not enough X's and Another Surprise**_

Mac was wonderful with all kids, not just boys. His wife hadn't got the chance to see him with his goddaughter when she was an infant but judging by the two's bond now, she imagined it wuld have been an adorable sight. Lucy was another person who was glad Hope was having a baby girl, not a boy because she was going to have a brother

"Then there's Jesse and then Trey," she said, making the points on her fingers. "Jasmine and me are the only girls. We need more."

Hope couldn't find a hole in that argument.

"We're going to name our baby Dominic Robert," Lucy told Hope. "Robert is mommy's daddy's name. What are you calling your baby?"

Hope smiled and said she wasn't sure yet. She asked Lucy if she had any suggestions.

"I like the name 'Elsa.' She's the princess in _Frozen_. She has 'pecial powers," Lucy replied.

"I know," Hope said.

She and Mac had seen the movie dozens of time since it was released on DVD. Lucy had dragged her parents to the theatre three times to see it. When they wouldn't go a fourth time, she called and asked Adam to go. Adam liked the movie. At work the following day, Adam asked Danny why he hadn't enjoyed it.

"I saw it three times in two weeks. It took another week before I didn't dream of dancing cartoon characters!" Danny said.

_Knowing you, you were analyzing the graphics, _he had thought.

"Isn't watching a kids' favorite movie of the moment repeatedly, a part of parenthood? I heard children like that," Adam stated.

"They do—parents don't have to."

This duty was a part of parenthood Hope had down-pat long before she had a child. Part of her was still like that herself with certain movies, Disney ones included. One of her very favorites was _The Lion King._

* * *

Hunter Conway had decided to brave the changing seasons of the eastern United States and move across the country and start over in the big apple. The building that was his successful barbeque restaurant wasn't his own and the owner had sold the place out from under him. But taking in all factors of his life, he decided New York City might be the place for him. Eight years ago, though apparently everyone in his family already knew it and weren't bothered by it, Hunter revealed to his friends and family he was gay. He had known this when he had a vasectomy in his twenties. Any sex he had, with a woman or man was _never_ unprotected.

Diseases were far, far more of a threat but he had wanted to get a woman pregnant, either. The vasectomy had been a double precaution when he still dated women. Even without that worry, or especially now he always used condoms. Like his younger sister, Hunter wasn't a random sex or one-night type of person. With his hectic schedule as a chef and business owner, his love life was non-existant. Hunter had his fingers crossed that he could find a balance with work and met someone to share his life with in New York.

Perhaps even a _husband._

An official and legal husband, something that wasn't allowed for him in Arizona.

Being closer to his sister Hope and her family was a big bonus too. He planned to get know his adorable nephew, Jesse, better. And living in the same city Hunter could meet the baby his sister was carrying as soon as she was born. Both the apartment he had rented and restaurant space he had purchased was in the Manhattan neighborhood where Mac and Hope used to live. He had the only barbeque place on that block.

That could be good for business.

The place had been re-decorated but there a few permits which had been approved and were in the mail before he could open. Until then he had enough to live on comfortably. He would be busy settling into his new apartment anyway.

She didn't feel "alone" in any way shape or form but Hope was "super" glad that one of her big brothers was moving to the city. Knowing that her children were going to get to see one of their uncles regularly meant more to her than she realized. Hope teased her brother that when the new baby came he could come over any time he wanted, if he didn't mind being her personal chef.

"You got it, sis," Hunter laughed.


	5. Family Dinner and Other 'Desserts'

_**Family Dinner and Other Kinds of Dessert **_

_Rated M for language and graphic scene descriptions._

Being gay didn't mean a person was a pedophile. Every cop and any person with a few functioning brain cells and who wasn't homophobic asshole knew that. Neither Messer or Flack families had issues with their children being around Hunter Conway. Hunter reminded them all of Hope, both in looks and personality. He was three years older than his younger sister. There was not even a year between him and older brother Blake, just 363 days .The oldest in the family Bella was four years older than him. Lucy Messer was drawn to Hunter when he dropped by while Hope was watching her for Lindsay to attend a dental appointment.

"Are you bigger or smaller than Hope?" Lucy asked him. She was sitting on the couch facing him with her legs crossed and her bare feet tucked up under her.

Lucy had already asked him what he did for a living, where he lived in the city and the most probing question, was he ever gong to be a father before explaining to Hunter in case he "didn't know," he can still be a dad. He could "'dopt."

"I knows that you likes to cuddle with boys and not girls. Some people says that's wrong. But daddy and mommy say those people are dumb," Lucy stated in a matter-of-fact tone

Hunter smiled, knowing Lucy meant "men" and not "boys." Her parents had taught her well about acceptance of people were labeled "different."

It had taken Jesse Taylor all of fifteen minutes, maybe less to become comfortable with the uncle who he was too young to ever remember meeting. Jesse was presently on Hunter's lap playing with a toy cellphone. His sister looked tired when he arrived, he suggested she take a nap. When Lucy Messer was picked up, Hunter took the steaks she had on the counter and make a homemade version of Hope's favorite frozen meal, pepper streak over rice. He was also going to make a small portion of plain steak and rice for Jesse. No toddler he knew liked peppers and onions. Hunter wasn't sure if he could leave Jesse unattended for more than a few minutes and since the boy had started climbing out of his playpen, putting him there wasn't a safe option. And Hunter knew so he strapped the boy into his high chair with some of his toy cars and sippy cup. He talked to the boy as he worked, explaining in silly voices the difference between mincing and dicing, sauteing and frying. Jesse laughed, reveling in the attention. A half hour nap did the trick for Hope's tiredness. Dinner wasn't quite ready by the time she came downstairs. She heard her son practicing his new words "autee" and "incing."

"I'm all for you teaching him those skills but don't you think that he should know to use a fork and knife, first?" Hope teased her brother.

Hunter laughed.

"You wouldn't remember but I learned this first," he said. " Mac called. He said he'd be home in an hour. I told him dinner would done and I'll have flown the coup by then. He invited me to stay since I cooked and all but I gonna go."

Mac was home before Hunter left. It was first time that Hope's brother had seen just how excited Jesse became when he sw his father. Hunter didn't know a toddler could run so fast. He practically sprinted out of the kitchen and through the living room to meet Mac in the porch. Mac smiled as the boy grabbed him by the face and gave him a drooling kiss on the mouth. Mac kissed the little boy back and tickled him.

Hunter smiled watching father and son interact.

"That happens every day," she said, reading her brother's mind.

* * *

Mac was especially relieved that today were over. A gang member had been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The second was an unattended victim. The second shot from a military grade weapon, a mac-10 had gone through the floor of the apartment and the roof of the apartment below.

And into the top of the head of the occupant in the apartment below.

This was only discovered when a uniformed officer went to knock on the door and it cracked open. With the door was only open slightly, the officer had noticed the body of the neighbor. Before he was able to notify the other officer in the hall and the crime scene investigators upstairs, he threw up in the trash can in the hall. The dead man's skull was like a crushed pumpkin, blood and brain matter was mixed with pieces of bone. The gang members were known to be better out-fitted than the cops so SWAT entered, arrested the suspect and cleared the area of the member's apartment before Mac and the team went in, armed and wearing kevlar vests as a precaution, to look for weapons, drugs and anything that could be found.

Seeing the body of the second victim was grotesque, even to Mac but having similar things on his tours of duty with the corp, he was able to hold down his stomach contents. However the uniformed officer who had discovered the body of Grant Quaid had an Art degree before he had joined the academy wasn't quite the same. One didn't need a military background to survive the job for those who did, it sometimes helped. Officer Brad Remy was only six weeks out from his on-the-job training. Don told Mac that it was first time that the officer had seen a gruesome scene like this.

"And I think he might have to take a few days off," he told Mac.

Paramedics were now looking after officer Remy in the ambulance. He was shaking so violently. Don worried he might start seizing. Personally he thought even after a few days off, Brad Remy was not coming back to the job. After years on the force Don could read which rookies were cut out for the job and who weren't. The true test was always _after_ on-the-job training when you were on your own with no one next to you to ask "what do I do?" Mac didn't need to see Brad Remy right now to know he wasn't returning. Mac had a similar ability to read new officers. It was nothing glaringly obvious and Mac hated to make judgements, even silent ones but the first look he had at Brad Remy he knew the young man wasn't going to last long. The number of officers who figured out they were not cut out for this job only _after_ going through the academy wasn't that known but the team and Mac had seen their share.

"You especially have that 'home sweet home' look at your face, tonight," Hope said as her husband walked into their bedroom.

Despite his exhaustion and the stress of the day's events.

"You're such a flirt, you know that?" He said.

"Isn't that one of the reasons why you married me?" His wife countered with a wicked grin.

"Something tells me, you and I are in for quite a night, my lady," Mac murmured, lifting his wife into his arms and laying her on the bed.

"Hmm. I just hope you locked the door behind you."

Mac wanted, _needed _his wife tonight, to help him forget the day. The second time around his wife's pregnant body made his blood run hot. It was a good thing their son was solid sleeper who only woke up during the night on a rare basis. And after a day playing outdoors he wasn't likely to wake tonight. From the noise they made, his parents were surprised and happy that they hadn't awakened him. They could enjoy each other and revel in the afterglow of their passion.

"Are you sure you wouldn't have rather slept last night?" Hope asked Mac as the bedside alarm read 2:45am.

Mac just laughed.


End file.
